Kaylah Walton
For the first time since his unexpected hospitalization in 2023, Academy Award-winning star Jamie Foxx has spoken out regarding the peculiar online rumors suggesting that music producer Sean “Diddy” Combs had a role in his health crisis.
During a discussion with The Hollywood Reporter, Foxx shared how he discovered the online chaos that erupted while he was away from the public eye.
“I sneaked in my phone because I was oblivious to what was being said outside, trying to wrap my head around the fact that I had a stroke. I’m in great shape,” he recalled. “I came across claims like, ‘Puffy tried to kill me.’ No, that’s not true,” he clarified.
The actor’s straightforward denial has dispelled rumors that emerged following his hospitalization for what was initially labeled as a “medical complication.” Foxx, now 57, later confirmed he experienced a brain bleed leading to a stroke that was critical enough to necessitate immediate medical intervention to save his life.
“They informed my sister Deidra Dixon, ‘If we don’t operate immediately, we might lose him,’” he recounted in his recent Netflix comedy special, What Had Happened Was. After surgery, the outlook remained grim.
“Though we can’t pinpoint the source of the problem, he is indeed having a stroke. He might fully recover, but it’s going to be an extremely tough year for him,” was the challenging news.
From speculation to healing: Foxx embraces humor amidst turmoil
While Foxx faced a grueling path to recovery, the internet concocted its own narrative rife with speculation and bizarre assertions. Central to this was the conjecture linking Combs—who has been entangled in legal troubles recently—with Foxx’s medical state.
“The internet claimed Puffy was attempting to harm me, that’s what they were saying,” he shared with his Netflix audience. “I can already hear your thoughts, ‘Diddy?’ No way, I left those parties early.”
Foxx humorously commented on Combs‘ reputation for hosting infamous celebrity gatherings, which are now being scrutinized more closely. “I was out by 9,” he jested. “Something felt off.”
He even made light of the rumored “Freak-Offs,” extravagant private events allegedly associated with some of Combs’ parties, dismissing them with clever timing and humor.
Nevertheless, one particular rumor struck a chord more than the rest: “When they suggested I was a clone, that really got to me. I’m lying in my hospital bed, thinking, ‘These ridiculous people are claiming I’m a clone,'” he quipped.
While maintaining privacy in his personal life, Foxx‘s return to the public stage through comedy has empowered him to reshape the narrative. His Netflix special has been acclaimed for its candidness and light-heartedness, delivering both insight and laughter after a year fraught with worry and uncertainty.
As Combs grapples with serious legal issues involving allegations of sex trafficking and racketeering—accusations he has denied—Foxx’s choice to confront the speculation directly has clarified a narrative obscured by viral misinformation.
Despite narrowly escaping death, Jamie Foxx is back with the same sharp humor and frankness that propelled him to fame in Hollywood—armed now with yet another astonishing story and no interest in others’ narratives.
